Clinic day for sailors kicks off the 13th Clagett Regatta
NEWPORT, R.I. (June 25, 2015) – Forty eight sailors in 25 boats took to the water of Narragansett Bay in Newport, RI, today for the clinic day at the 13th C. Thomas Clagett, Jr. Clinic and Regatta. Teams have traveled from across the USA, the US Virgin Islands and Canada to participate. The Clagett mission is "to provide sailors with disabilities the opportunity to improve their skills and reach personal goals through world-class coaching and competition". This mission creates an environment that allows the sailors both experienced and new to build on their skills and provides the opportunity for them to put them into practice during the clinic day and the three days of racing.
Coaches, led by US Sailing Team Sperry Paralympic coach Betsy Alison (Newport, RI), took each of the classes, the Sonar, the 2.4mR and the SKUD 18's for a shore side session and then an on the water session with the fleets practicing starts, mark rounding's and on water techniques. The coaching team set a start line in the same area that will be used for racing over the next three days, in between Rose and Goat islands.
The coaching line up for this year has a number of coaches returning to pass on their knowledge to the Clagett sailors. Nancy Haberland (Annapolis, MD), Mike Ingham (Rochester, NY), Mike Pinckney (Balboa, CA), Bill Shore (Newport, RI) and Brian Todd (Nova Scotia, Canada), are working with the sailors during the four days of the event.
Taking part in The Clagett for the first time are two teams from the Warrior Sailing program, which introduces returning veterans to the sport of sailing. The veterans, who are sailing in the Sonar class, take part in a basic training program and then progress to participation in regattas.
"We are thrilled to have so many familiar faces back and to welcome new attendees, especially the Warrior Sailing Program team members. Being the daughter of a naval officer from World War II I know how important it is to be able to return to normal life. We are delighted that the Clagett regatta can be an important part of their lives after their service to our country," commented Clagett co-founder and President Judy McLennan (Portsmouth, RI).
List of Entries 2015
Name
Hometown
2.4mR
Alain Dubuc
Pointe-Claire, QC, CAN
Peter Eagar
Toronto, ON, CAN
Theodore Green
North Kingstown, RI, USA
Kevin Holmberg
Tampa, FL, USA
Audrey Kobayashi
Kingston, ON, CAN
Zak Kordik
Chicago, IL, USA
Christine Lavallee
Gatineau, QC, CAN
Erick Poirier
Repentigny, QC, CAN
Tim Ripley
Randolph, NJ, USA
Charles Rosenfield
Woodstock, CT, USA
Aaron Wong-Sing
Ottawa, ON, CAN
Dee Smith
Annapolis, MD, USA
Peter Wood
Ottawa, ON, CAN
SKUD 18
Tracy Schmitt and Kay Vanvalkenburgh
Toronto, ON, CAN
Sarah Everhart Skeels and Cindy Walker
Tiverton, RI, USA
Craig Wilson and Brian Skeels
Holden, MA, USA
Ryan Porteous and Maureen McKinnon
San Diego, CA, USA
SONAR
Rick Doerr, Hugh Fruend, Brad Kendell
Clifton, NJ, USA
Andrew & Melissa Fisher, Daniel Evans and Thomas Brown
Greenwich, CT, USA
Sammy Lugo, Donoray Bickham, Scott Ford
Tavernier, FL, USA
Gary Pierce, Jeff Long, Charles McClure III
Chicago, IL, USA
Richard Ramos, Adam Parks, Barbara Roy
Medford, MA, USA
David Flaherty, Antonio F. Sanpere, Jim Kerr, William Canfield and Robert Blackwell
Christiansted, VI, USA
Preston Schofield, Dan Hall, Dawn Hart and Ed Norton